Mayim Bialik's New Cookbook Will Change What You Think About Being Vegan

Mayim Bialik's new cookbook, Mayim's Vegan Table: More Than 100 Great-Tasting and Healthy Recipes from My Family to Yours, which the actress and neuroscientist wrote with pediatrician Dr. Jay Gordon, isn't your run-of-the-mill book of recipes. It's also a perspective-shifting manual for people looking to eat a more plant-based diet in the interest of health and eco-friendliness. We asked Bialik about her own road to veganism, the common misconceptions people have about what they "need" to eat, and the main takeaway she hopes readers get from Mayim's Vegan Table.

Why vegan over vegetarian?

"I was a vegetarian from the time I was 19, and I cut out most dairy in college at the recommendation of a doctor. I haven't had a sinus infection since. I was still eating some dairy that was less allergenic when my first son was born, but he was allergic to any dairy in my breast milk. I eliminated all dairy from my diet so I could breastfeed."

But doctors say children need milk…

"Milk is not the only way to grow healthy bones or get calcium. There's calcium in greens, tofu, beans, and other foods. Broccoli contains about the same amount of calcium as milk, ounce for ounce. When a child is old enough to eat unprocessed soy, 1.5 ounces of tofu will provide the same amount of calcium as a glass of skim milk. You can find a great breakdown of high-calcium vegan foods here."

What about protein?

"The Western obsession with protein is honestly unnecessary. The average American male consumes about 100 grams of protein per day, and the average female consumes about 70 grams. Both of these figures are almost twice what the Food and Nutrition Board recommends. If you like statistics and charts, you can check out the CDC's recommendations here, but it works out to about 56 grams for men and 46 for women. Veggies and fruits contain protein. Plant sources of protein include legumes and grains. You can feed your children and yourself with so many other healthy proteins than animal-based ones. Beans and nuts are just two sources of proteins that are versatile, easy to use, and delicious."

Isn't it going to cost a lot?

"I think in general people assume vegans are eating lots of expensive processed substitutes, but the trick is eating simply and learning to appreciate foods the way they naturally taste. The general goals of a vegan kitchen and pantry are to use organic when possible, avoid products with ingredients you can't pronounce, and use the 'rule of thumb:' if the ingredients list is longer than your thumb, don't buy it."

Watch out for surprisingly non-vegan dishes.

"A lot of restaurants use meat in their sauces and bases. Frozen foods often throw in the milk product caseinate."

What if you "slip up?"

"The book does not advocate for be-all, end-all eating at all. The point is not to make people vegan; it's to provide resources, recipes, and ideas to encourage more plant-based eating."

Be a little bit vegan with three of Mayim's delicious recipes.

Mac N Cheez

People often ask vegan children if they miss macaroni and cheese. With this recipe, your kids don't have to miss out on the creamy comfort food many kids think comes from a box. The vegan cheese sauce can be poured and mixed directly into cooked pasta or baked in a casserole. Either way, it is an exceptionally yummy and satisfying dish you'll find yourself making when you crave comfort food in a jiffy.

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package pasta, such as farfalle, rigatoni, penne, shells, or large macaroni

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain when al dente and place in a large bowl.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

3. Heat 1 cup of the nondairy milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

4. In a cup, whisk the flour into the remaining ®˘ cup of milk until dissolved. Add it slowly to the heated milk, whisking as you go. Add the shredded vegan cheese and stir constantly until the cheese is dissolved and the sauce is bubbly, about 5 minutes. Pour over the pasta mixture and stir to combine.

Serves 8

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Specialty vegan cookies can be a challenge to master, so when we perfected this vegan version of the classic "cracked top" chocolate cookie, we were thrilled. They take a little work, but the richness and beauty of these cookies make it so worth it.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 cups vegan bittersweet chocolate chips

Egg replacer equivalent of 1 egg

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray two large baking sheets with the cooking spray.

2. Melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a small glass bowl in the microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Let cool for about 5 minutes.

3. Place the egg replacer in a small bowl, and gradually beat 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar into it. Continue beating until the mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the sugar and the cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.

5. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the egg replacer mixture.

6. Stir in the lukewarm chocolate and remaining ®ˆ cup of chocolate chips (the dough will become very stiff).

7. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls. Roll the balls in the sugar, coating thickly. Place the cookie balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until puffed and the tops crack, about 10 minutes.

8. Leaving the cookies on the baking sheets, let the pans cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to racks and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Makes 24 cookies

Winter Vegetable Risotto

Risotto is often hard to mimic as a vegan dish because it calls for lots of Parmesan and butter to create its creamy taste and consistency. This recipe re-creates all of that, using a combination of almond milk, tahini, and a touch of nutritional yeast. The result is a sophisticated risotto, which we pair with carrots, parsnips, and butternut squash. You can use any vegetables on hand, though, including diced asparagus, zucchini, or other squash.

1 tablespoon mirin (Mirin is a sweet rice wine. If you can't find it, you can use dry sherry or white wine with a pinch of sugar.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Place the carrot, parsnip, and squash in a large bowl with the rosemary. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until soft but not mushy.

3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the stock and wine and heat to simmering. Lower the temperature to a simmer.

4. In a large nonstick pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and rice and saut. for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the rice starts to be toasted.

5. Add 1 cup of the simmering broth-and-wine mixture to the rice and cook, stirring continuously, until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Continue adding the broth 1 cup at a time, cooking and stirring as it is absorbed. It will take about 20 minutes for all the broth to be absorbed and for the rice to become tender and creamy.

6. Add the almond milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and mirin and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted veggies. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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